Review Details

Lords of Waterdeep

Product Review (submitted on September 12, 2015):

If you're familiar with the Dungeons and Dragons universe, Waterdeep Harbor is probably familiar to you. We weren't, and so it wasn't.

If you're expecting a DnD-type experience from this game, you're likely to be disappointed. We weren't, and so it wasn't.


The DnD theme is very light - many people say it's pasted on. If you take the time to remember the official names of the different pieces, and role play actually sending out warriors, rogues, wizards and clerics to go on the various adventures you're funding, you'll find some theme. If you just call them orange, white, black and purple cubes, it's pretty dry.

In Lords of Waterdeep, each player takes on the persona of one of a group of nobles who are competing to become the Lord of Waterdeep. Players gather money and adventurers, then send them out on various quests to earn more money and victory points. There is no direct combat in the game. If you have enough of each color cube, you complete the quest.

The player interaction is fairly limited. There is one area you can place a worker that allows you to play cards that may affect the other players. Some of these give you an advantage, others give you and another player of your choice an advantage, and still others hinder one or more of your opponents. The only other player interaction is the one that's common to many worker placement games. You can't place a worker into a space already occupied by another worker.

The components are very nice. Wooden meeples and resource cubes, thick, beautiful cardboard coins, good quality cards - all the components are great. The box insert is one of the best I've ever seen. There is a spot for everything, and everything pretty much fits into its spot. There isn't quite enough room for all the coins, but that's the only shortcoming to the insert, and that's a very small one.

If you're looking for an introduction to worker placement, this is one of the best entry-level wp games I've played. It gets a pretty good amount of play at our house.